Game device



Nov. 6, 1934. w. J. THOMPSON GAME DEVICE Filed Nov. 15, 1932 1 IIklllllllllllllmllllllllllIII/II,

I I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII llllllllllll/IIIIIII/ IIIIIIIIIIIIIII --ul llllllll' lllllllllllllllI/ln lull- INVENTOR. W/u. mm d. Tao/ops 01v. BYE W 59 f ATTORNEYS,

Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES ATEN'I. orrica GAME DEVICE '9 Claims.

This invention relates to a game device. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a device which may be used together with certain other accouterments used in playing golf such as golf balls and golf sticks.- The device is one which may be laid upon a relatively flat surface for use and the game may be played indoors or outdoors. In using the game indoors the golf ball may be projectedacross the floor which may advantageously be covered with a carpet or the like, while outdoors the device may be used on a lawn or other sufficiently level surface.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a device of the character mentioned above which may be easily handled during shipment and prior to sale and which may be easily stored away between the .periods of use. The device may be arranged to cover a considerable into which a golf ball is to be projected and it may include markings of different values to indicate a score which is to be recorded depending upon Where the ball comes to rest. In accordance with one object, a device may be formed from a strip or mat of material which preferably can be rolled up and handled or stored in a suitable tube or like package.

In the accompanying drawing: Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof the device constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is,a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is .a view of the modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating an advantageous type of golf stick which may be employed.

As shown in Fig. ,1 the device comprises a mat 1 of suitable material preferably sufficiently flexible so that the mat can be rolled up and the same may be made of rubber or cork composition or other material. However, it is believed that rubber is preferred. This mat may have such dimensions as are requisite and is preferably provided with a plurality of concentric beads 2, 3, and 4 in the nature of rings. These rings are not full rings but are cut away preferably with beveled edges 5 so as to provide a more or less V-shaped entrance or guideway leading to the center of the mat. The mat may be beveled to provide an inclined surface 6 up which the'ball is to roll when it is projected onto the mat. The surface of the mat outside of the ring 2 may be smooth while the surfaces between the rings may advantageously be of roughened formation. The area between each two rings may represent different values and these may be formed or printed on the mat. For example, the characters 5, 10, and 15 may appear, the character 5 indicating the value of a ball projected between the rings 2 and 3; 10 the value of a ball projected between the rings 3 and l; and 15 the value of a ball projected within the ring 4.

The extreme center portion may have a raised member or bead 10 within which the mat may be cut out to provide anaperture 11. The ring 10 preferably is fashioned so that its portion which is in alignment with the V-opening is located substantially on a chord. This portion is shown at 12. The ring 10 may be relatively thin so that the same is more or less flexible and the height thereof at the chord is preferably relatively low and the height may increase to a maximum on the side opposite the chord. The purpose of this will be presently brought out. The entire structure, thus far described, may constitute one integral piece of material.

A modified form of the invention is shown in Fig. 4. Here metallic rings l5, 16, 1'7, and 18 are provided and located in concentric relation, the rings 15, 16, and 17 being cut away to form a V-shaped opening leading to the center. The ring 18 may be flattened as at 19 so that this part is substantially on a chord. These rings being separate, may be held together by interconnecting generally radially extending members advantageously in the form of flat metal strips 20 which may be soldered or welded or otherwise connected to the rings. The ends of the outside ring may be connected by a raised bridge 30; the connecting members 20 may be flat rubber stripsor elastic stretched from the inner to the outer rings and attached to the intermediate rings.

Ordinary golf sticks and golf balls may be used with this game. However, the game may be supplied with one or more golfsticks as illustrated in Fig. 5. This may be a stick constructed along the lines of any conventional golf stick and may include a counter. This may take the form of a wire like member one end of which extends through the shaft and is held fixed thereto, this end being shown at 21. The same may be fashioned into a loop 22 from which extends the body portion 23, and the end portion 24 may extend through an aperture in the shaft and be provided with a head or thumb piece 25.

Suitable markers in the nature of washers or the like 26 may be threaded over the body memher 23 and a divider in the nature of a projection 27 on the shaft may be provided. These members 26 may be used as counters and may be shifted from one side to the other ofthe divider 2'7 which is accomplished by depressing the thumb piece 25. Any number of washers 26 may be employed.

In use the mat 1 may be laid upon the floor and then ordinary golf sticks, or special sticks provided with the mat, may be used to putt the ball toward the mat from any suitable distance. The ball rolls up the incline 6 and may come to rest in any area between the several rings and the closer the center the higher the score. The highest score, which may be 20, for any single shot, may be counted when a ball is caused to come to rest within the center ring 10. To accomplish this the ball must be caused to hop over the straight portion 12 and land in the center cup, yet this must be done rather delicately because if the ball is moving at too high a rate of speed it will continue on over the wall of the ring 10 opposite the portion 12. It is thought to be preferred therefore to have the portion 12 lower than the portion of the ring 10 opposite, to rather facilitate entry of the ball and to aid in keeping the ball from moving out of the cup. The game may be played in the same manner with the form shown in Fig. l where separate metallic rings are provided. To get the ball into the center cup it must strike and jump over the chord portion 19.

The center cup has been provided with the chord portion to facilitate entry of the ball into the cup. A ball striking the straight chord portion when approaching the same with the movement substantially at right angles thereto, tends to jump straight over the chord portion, whereas if the ring 10 was in the form of a. full circle, a ball striking the same would likely be shunted off to one side or the other. One advantage of the mat form is that it may be rolled up into a convenient package such, for example, as a tube or a small tubular like bag designed to represent the ordinary bag for golf clubs, and it may be handled and sold in this manner either separately or with'special golf sticks for use therewith.

In the claims use is made of the word rings and in interpreting the claims it is to be understood that the term rings is intended to cover the bead-like members of the form shown in Fig. 1 as well as the separate ring like members in Fig. 4.

The mat 1 maybe made of materials other than those heretofore mentioned, as for example, pressed steel, fiber, pressed paper, or a woven material.

I claim:

1. A game device for use with a golf ball or the like comprising a mat, a plurality of open substantially concentric, spaced, curved beads on the mat, the ends of the open beads forming a V-shaped entrance for a ball leading toward the center of the beads, and a substantially circular raised portion surrounding the area substantially at the center of the rings and defining a closed area.

2. A game device for use with a golf ball or the like comprising a mat, a plurality of open substantially concentric, spaced, curved beads on the mat, the ends of the open beads forming a V-shaped entrance fora ball leading toward the center of the beads, and a closed bead within the inner one of said open beads defining a closed area and having a portion disposed on a chord which is in substantial alignment with the said V-shaped entrance.

3. A game device for use with a golf ball or the like comprising a mat, a plurality of open substantially concentric, spaced, curved beads on the mat, the ends of the open beads forming a V-shaped entrance for a ball leading toward the center of the beads, and a closedbead within the inner one of said open beads defining a closed area and having a portion disposed on a chord which is in substantial alignment with the said V-shaped entrance, the edge of said mat being beveled at the veshaped entrance.

4. A game device for use with a golf ball or the like comprising a rubber mat, a plurality of spaced substantially concentric open beads on the mat, said open beads being so arranged that their open portions present a substantially V- shaped guide way leading toward the center of the beads and a closed ring substantially at the center of the inner one of the open beadsb 5. A game device for use with a golf ball or the like comprising a rubber mat, a plurality of spaced substantially concentric open beads on the mat, said open beads being so arranged that their open portions present a substantially V- shaped guide way leading toward the center of the beads, and a closed ring substantiallyat the center of the inner one of the open beads, said closed ring comprising a relatively thin upstanding rubber wall. a Y r 6. A game device for use with a golf ball or the like comprising a rubber mat, apluralityof spaced substantially concentric open beads on the mat, said open beads being so arranged that their open portions present a substantially V- shaped guide way leading toward the center of the beads, and a closed ring substantially at the center of the inner one of the open beads, said closed ring comprising a relatively thin upstanding rubber wall having a portion disposed substantially on a chord, the said portion cutting across the V-shaped guide way.

7. A game device comprising a rubber mat having a plurality of substantially concentric spaced open beads, the open beads being arranged to provide a substantially V-shaped guide way leading toward the center of the beads, the edge of the mat at the entrance of the guide way being beveled for the passage of a ball thereover, and a relatively thin upstanding rubber ring integral with the mat and located substantially at the center of the inner of said open beads, said last named member having a portion disposed on a chord which cuts across the V-shaped guide way. l

8. A game device comprising a rubber mat having a plurality of substantially concentric spaced open beads, the open beads being arranged to provide a substantially V-shaped guide way leading toward the center of the heads, the edge of the mat at the entrance of the guide way being beveled for the passage of a ball thereover, and a relatively thin upstanding rubber ring integral with the mat and located substantially at the center of the inner of said open beads, said last named member having a portion disposed on a chord whichcutsacross the V-shaped guide way, said chord portion having a height less than the portion of said member opposite the chord portion. i

9. A game device for use with a golf ball'or the like comprising a mat, a plurality ofraisedportions on the mat each raised portion having sides of substantially the center portion of the mat, and means substantially at the center portion of the mat comprising a wall for retaining a ball and having a relatively low wall portion on the side thereof corresponding to the side of the mat toward which the ends of the raised portions extend.

WILLIAM J. THOMPSON. 

